§ 7. Miss Burtonasked the President of the Board of Trade whether he is aware that highly-skilled machine tool workers in Coventry are being laid off and in consequence are having to look for less skilled work; and what steps he is taking to avoid the breaking up of such skilled teams.
§ Sir D. EcclesOut of 4,000 industrial operatives employed in the machine tool industry in Coventry, about 200 have been discharged since the beginning of the year. Twenty-two of these remained unemployed on 13th March, of whom 17 787 were semi-skilled and skilled. The restoration of investment allowances announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, will be of particular benefit to the machine tool industry.
§ Miss BurtonIt is not a question of employment. Does the right hon. Gentleman realise that a month ago I attended a conference of the shop stewards of the Coventry Gauge Tool Company and that all the shop stewards are very worried about skilled workers having to take less skilled work, and about the dispersal of that skill?
§ Sir D. EcclesYes, the position needs to be watched, but we hope that the industry will now pick up.
§ Sir J. DuncanDoes my right hon. Friend realise that the Coventry Gauge Tool Company has factories in Angus as well as in Coventry, and that the same thing is happening in Angus as is apparently happening in Coventry?
§ Sir D. EcclesYes, Sir.